282 days after kicking off yet another title defence at Turf Moor, Manchester City are now just one more win away from history; West Ham can’t deny them, can they?
Manchester City vs West Ham United match preview
No club in the 136-year history of the English top-flight has ever won four successive titles.
Huddersfield Town, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United have all been stopped in their tracks at three, so can Manchester City make history?
The Sky Blues are on the cusp of a sixth title in seven seasons, domination of which the Premier League has never seen the like, 90 minutes away from another trophy presentation day at the Etihad.
On Tuesday night, in front of a confused and conflicted Tottenham Hotspur Stadium crowd, the Citizens made it eight successive league wins, with Erling Braut Håland’s second half brace seeing off Spurs.
So, since defeat at Villa Park in early-December, Pep Guardiola’s team are unbeaten in 22 Premier League games, winning 18 of them, so kick off on the final day top, two points clear of Arsenal, but only a win will crown Man City champions again, if the Gunners are victorious over Everton simultaneously.
A decade ago, at the denouement of another thrilling, three-way title race, Manuel Pellegrini’s side secured the title with a final day win over West Ham, with déjà vu seemingly a formality as they target four in a row.
So, can West Ham United pull off a major shock, becoming the first team to leave the Etihad victorious since Brentford just before the World Cup, 554 days ago to be exact, while even a draw could cancel Man City’s celebrations?
Well, lost in the excitement about the title race is the fact this will be David Moyes’ 262nd and final game in charge of the Hammers, delivering two top seven finishes and the club’s first silverware for 43 years.
Last weekend, Moyes received a warm London Stadium send-off, after his team had beaten Luton 3-1, with James Ward-Prowse and Tomáš Souček on target, before George Earthy scored with his first touch, prompting wild celebrations from the teenager.
However, this was a rare victory for the Irons, just a fourth in 18 Premier League games since New Year’s Day, meaning they will end-up just below the European spots.
Thus, considering the visitors have nothing to play for, this appears perfectly set up for Manchester City to cruise to an undramatic victory, followed by yet another trophy presentation ceremony.
Manchester City vs West Ham United Tips
Manchester City have won each of their last three meetings with West Ham, claiming victory in 13 of their last 15 Premier League encounters, including each of the last seven at the Etihad.
The last time the Hammers left East Manchester with anything was nine years ago, with Slaven Bilić's team claiming a shock 2-1 victory back in far away September 2015.
Pep Guardiola has won 14 of 17 managerial meetings with the Irons, while David Moyes has lost 12 of his last 15 encounters with the Sky Blues, his most-recent league victory over them coming in 2013, while his last win at the Etihad came in 2010, both in charge of Everton.
Put succinctly, we’re expecting the home side to claim the three points they need.
We are also expecting a high-scoring affair, not least because Man City have scored 3+ in eight of their last 17 Premier League or FA Cup meetings with the Hammers.
Pep Guardiola’s team have also scored 30 times in their last eight league outings, netting 3+ on 31 seperate occasions this season, thereby doing so in 56.4% of all fixtures, including in East London in September.
Meantime, David Moyes’ side have shipped 3+ goals on 11 occasions, nine of which have come away from home, conceding exactly five in their last two road fixtures, hammered by Crystal Palace and Chelsea.
Considering we’re forecasting that Manchester City will score plenty, we’re backing their two main men for goals to come to the fore.
Erling Braut Håland’s brace at Tottenham on Tuesday took his tally to 38 goals for the season, 27 have come in the Premier League, becoming only the seventh man to win the golden boot in back-to-back seasons.
Thierry Henry, Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Alan Shearer, Michael Owen and Robin van Persie the others to achieve this.
The Norwegian marked his Premier League debut by bagging a brace at the London Stadium, scoring at least once in all three appearances against West Ham to date, and we’re forecasting he’ll continue this sequence.
Meanwhile, Phil Foden has gone to another level this season, his strike at Craven Cottage a week ago his 25th of the campaign.
Foden was amongst the goals when the Irons last visited the Etihad 12 months ago, and we’re backing him to repeat this feat.
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